Cape Coral's Growing Business

Cape Coral Police took down yet another marijuana grow house last week. Reports indicated that it was the third one this year..and It's only April. After more than 25 indoor marijuana growing operations were busted last year in Lehigh Acres, now Cape Coral police seem to be on track for a record year of busts and confiscations in what used to be a quiet little community not known for cultivation. So what's changed and who's to blame ?




In truth, nothing is too very different here versus Lehigh Acres. It's just that our own local police force is just waking up to what's, likely, been going on for some while.

Let's face it, Cape Coral has a lot of recreational pot smokers. But the bigger problem of the organized criminal element, that has sought to create a life of fast money and easy living off those recreational users, has brought this gang and cartel related business to the forefront of law enforcement's attention. After all, Miami got crowded and all that cocaine money needed a new place to set up shop...so, many mid level capos came to the Cape.

Depressed economic conditions have made the drug trade a lot of money with people feeling despondent and looking for escape. But lawmakers in Tallahassee are busy this week making sure that it's no longer a cakewalk through the court system for growers.

The "Grow House Bill" being voted on this week will bring first-degree felony charges against operators of grow houses with 25 or more plants and where there are children or infants. It also will charge operators with at least a second-degree felony for having 25 plants and a third-degree felony for owning a house with intent to grow marijuana.

While stiffer legislation will, hopefully, reduce the sheer numbers of those persons stupid enough to think they can operate here, it will not eliminate the problem. Only through education and mentoring can we redirect misled individuals away from these life wasting pursuits.